Vodka, the one drink we love and hate all at the same time. Sometimes it has provided us with the best nights of our lives and other times, wishing we didn't have that last round because that hangover kills. Vodka is reportedly one of the most popular drinks in the entire world. It is a complex spirit and holds quite a lot of history. Apart from enjoying drinking vodka, the alcohol can serve for many other purposes.

Unlike many other alcohols, vodka is the purest. It doesn't leave you with that beer gut and heavy feeling after consumption. Vodka is the best go-to alcohol to drink if you are looking to watch your weight. There are many different ways to enjoy vodka, as many people from Russia prefer neat and on ice which allows for one to really absorb and recognize the taste. The classic vodka martini is a popular version thanks to the James Bond movies 007, popularizing famous lines like "shaken not stirred". Then there is the traditional Ed Hardy wearing clubber who slams vodka down with red bull. To each their own, but there is no denying that vodka is a drink that can be served countless ways to anyone's liking and approval.

The next time you decide to swig back a few drinks, give vodka a chance and appreciate it even more. Not only does it taste great, it holds multiple purposes both medically and for life hacks. Discover this popular drink just a little more by taking a look at these 10 interesting facts you didn't know about vodka.

10 Vodka Expires

Contrary to popular belief, vodka actually does have an expiration date. Storing your bottle in the freezer just won't suffice as we all mostly think. Vodka needs to be consumed within 12 months of when it was first made. After that time, it is considered weaker but not necessarily bad. The only way vodka will last indefinitely is when the bottle is never opened. And chances are, if you bought the bottle you're going to want it opened at some point. If you began to smell a pungent odor, a difference in appearance of the liquid since bought or a foul taste, it is wise to discard the bottle. Not only can it make you sick, the quality won't be the same with drops in proof percentage. When storing vodka over long periods of time, the taste will slowly change. Liquids tend to evaporate through a corked lid and chemicals will emit from the plastics of the bottle. This of course, happens over a very long period of time and would not change the taste drastically. Bottoms up!

9 Vodka Is A Great Cleaning Product

Via lifehack.org

Step aside Mr. Clean because Mr. Vodka gets it done best. Vodka can be used as a disinfectant as well one of the best killers of mold and mildew. It prevents rust build up allowing for you to prolong the life of your razors if soaking them in the alcohol. In Poland, when vodka first began to emerge, it reportedly was used as an after shave and was made to be scented. Vodka is one of the best products to use for many life hacks. As a cleaner, vodka when diluted with water can double as an odor remover for your clothes. It unfortunately, does not remove the stains from clothing, but gets rid of those pesky smells that clothing absorbs. Vodka being used as a cleaning product is a great green and natural alternative if you don't like products that are full of chemicals. It will keep your home and wardrobe fresh and won't bring toxic chemicals like many other products contain.

8 Vodka Can Be Gluten Free

Now more than ever, we are hearing about people having a gluten allergy. Unfortunately, people who suffer from this allergy have to monitor their diet and it doesn't just include food, but beverage as well. Gluten is a protein that is found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Vodka is usually made with these grains, but many companies have begun to use corn, potatoes and grapes as an alternative for gluten allergies. It is important to know which vodkas are made with what in order to not suffer the affects of a gluten attack. Blue Ice vodka has clearly labelled "gluten free" on their bottles made with a potato base and not the grain based. Many vodka companies are started to provide product for gluten sufferers and alter the traditional ingredients allowing them to not lose their clientele. P. Daddy's vodka company Ciroc has began to make premium vodkas in four different flavors all made from grapes.

7 Vodka Can Be Crazy Expensive

Via mostexpensivevodka.com

The world's most expensive bottle of vodka to date is priced at $3.75 million dollars. It is known as Billionaire vodka created by luxury designer, Mr. Leon Verres. What makes Billionaire vodka so special? The way it is made, the way it is bottled and the ingredients used. This vodka is triple distilled and is filtered through ice, Nordic birch charcoal and sand from crushed diamonds and gems. The bottle is a piece of art as well and is known as a rare collector's item. The bottle is made up of platinum and rhodium encased diamond encrusted crystal bottle with solid gold labels and neckband encrusted with channel set diamonds and Billionaire embellishment and crowned with a numbered diamond speckled hand mounted platinum flocked foil seal. Not only is the bottle worth big dollars, but when purchased, this vodka is hand delivered by a secure courier in white gloves. Billionaire vodka is not just about the vodka, but the entire experience beginning to end.

6 Vodka Has Two Classifications

Via bartenders411.blogspot.com

Vodka comes in two forms, clear and flavored. Flavored vodkas began to emerge to mask the original flavor or clear vodka. It can sometimes be very intense and strong and with a flavoring added, that bitter taste is cut. Clear vodka allows for the drinker to really taste all the ingredients of what went into making the drink. Most vodkas are made differently, so there is no way to classify them all, but all vodkas are generally clear or flavored. Almost every type of ingredient has been used in different brands producing different tastes. Kubanskaya vodka uses dried lemon and orange peels. Okhotnichya vodka includes a mix of ginger, cloves, coffee, anise, lemon peel and is blended with sugar and wine. Animals also play a role in the production of vodka like Zubrovka vodka that uses bison grass as the main ingredient. The grass is favored by the herds of rare European bison.

5 There Are Many Customs With Vodka

Via mtlblog.com

Not only is vodka enjoyed throughout the world, there comes a lot of customs that go along with consuming the drink over the years. During the times of Czar Peter, there was a custom pertaining to foreign ambassadors that was upheld. At the courtyard, one was expected to drink 'the cup of the white eagle' which was essentially 1.5 L of pure vodka. That amount can make anyone a bit woozy, but it is customary to oblige with tradition. In Russia, it is especially rude and considered suspicious if one refuses an offered drink. Russian tables are always set with shot or wine glasses and is widely known that a guest can't be treated properly without a drink. Ever heard of that expression "bottoms up?" Well it stems from the Russian tradition of vodka being drunk bottoms up to not hurt the host's feelings. When drinking to a toast of someone, it was tradition that you finish your drink bottoms up as a sign of respect for that person.

4 Vodka Is Good For Your Health

Believe it or not, vodka has amazing health benefits making you feel a bit less guilty when knocking them back. A major health benefit of vodka is that it helps to reduce stress. A study done in the "Journal of Psychopharmacology" found that vodka reduces stress more effectively than the alcohol-equivalent of red wine. It is important to remember to moderate yourself when it comes to drinking. Having one drink daily for women and 2 drinks for men has been associated with lower mortality, increased cardiovascular health and a decreased risk of stroke according to Dr. David at the State University of New York. Vodka is also used enormously with herbal medicines to make tinctures. The leaves, stems and flowers are soaked in very strong vodka allowing the oils to be drawn out that contain the medical help. The tinctures can then be applied topically or taken orally. Vodka has also reportedly been linked with curing the common cold, headache and flu.

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3 Vodka Can Help You Lose Weight

For every shot of vodka (1.5 ounces) there are 90 calories. Vodka is one of the few alcohols that have a relatively low amount of calories. Choosing vodka over high calorie beer and sugary drinks can help you lose weight significantly. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a can of beer is approximately 153 calories compared to a vodka soda measuring roughly 64 calories. Not all vodka based drinks will help shrink your body. When combining vodka with high caloric sodas and sweetners, likely you will gain weight. If you are looking to shed some pounds, it's important to stick with the clearest liquors and purest forms of vodka. Vodka soda is one of the lowest caloric mixed drinks and is the clearest in form. It is wise to always drink in moderation when watching your weight, but out of all the alcoholic choices, vodka is one that will best serve your diet.

2 Vodka Is One Of The Best Beauty Products

There are many tricks of the trade when it comes to beauty secrets around the world. Luckily, we found one product that both tastes delicious and beautifies. There are several beneficial factors that vodka has to help us all look our best. It seems crazy to use vodka these ways, but you can't knock it until you try it right? Adding an ounce of vodka into a 12 ounce shampoo bottle will help to cleanse the scalp, remove toxins from the hair and stimulate regrowth. Vodka also can be used to tighten pores and cleanse your face. By mixing equal amounts of water and vodka and dabbing your face with the mixture, it will firm all the skin, kill any bacteria and leave you with a healthy looking glow. Vodka has also been proven to kill bad breath using it like mouthwash as well as rid foot odor by rubbing each foot with an ounce worth.

1 Vodka Can Help Reduce Alzheimer's Risk

Recent studies have proven that moderate drinking can help reduce the cause of Alzheimer's. Since 1977, The Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine conducted 143 studies among 365,000 people pertaining to drinking and this disease. It was proven that moderate drinkers were 23% less likely to develop cognitive impairment versus heavy drinkers consuming 3-5 or more drinks per day. The effects of moderate drinking scored the same in both men and women equally. In 14 out of 19 countries, the association between moderate drinking and reduced risk of dementia proved to be significant. To keep a healthy brain, it is recommended to exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet, get enough sleep, manage stress properly, keep the mind stimulated and maintain an active social life. Research is slowly discovering new benefits from some of the oldest and popular alcohols in the world. Indulging with your favorite martini or vodka on the rocks really isn't all that bad after all. Bottoms up!